First Chinese electric vehicle might be headed to Australia

I have been predicting the arrival of the Chinese electric vehicle onslaught for some years now. Like the weather bureau – if I keep predicting the same thing, I will eventually be right!

It seems this is the case with Chinese EVs too. Various factors have delayed their arrival since the first attempt by E-Day Life back in 2011.

However, the sheer size of the Chinese EV industry is quite frightening: the sorts of monthly sales numbers in figure 1 are just for plug-in EVs.

Those numbers are what Western EV auto manufacturers could only dream of for annual sales! (By the way: it is worth noting the brought forward jump in sales for June/drop off this July due to a changed low emissions vehicle incentive scheme in China).

China monthly EV sales. Image: EV-volumes.com

Once Chinese EVs start to arrive in Australia (or anywhere else for that matter) the auto industry will have a major competitor for the bottom to middle price segments on its hands.

In Europe, one of those early Chinese EV entrants is the MG ZS which recently hit the market there at a very competitive price.

MG ZS EV. Image: MG UK

Well, the first ones are now on hand here in Australia – new vehicle importer EV Automotive, in collaboration with the Chinese EV manufacturing business DFSK, is formally announcing two Chinese built EVs for the Australian market at the National EV Expo and Experience Weekend in Sydney this October 26 and 27.

Initially, EV Automotive will be offering the EC35 van and the E3 Glory crossover SUV. The EC35 van will be the first one tonne EV van for the Australian market.

With a 41.4kWh (useable capacity) battery – it is expected to do 290km (NEDC) when partly laden. With 7kW AC charging plus DC fast charging – it should appeal to many businesses wanting to make the switch to low emissions cargo transport.

The EC35 Van. Image: EV Automotive

The other vehicle is the E3 Glory SUV. It has a 52.5kWh battery offering a 405km (NEDC) range, 7kW AC plus DC fast-charging capability.

The EV Automotive E35 SUV. Source: EV Automotive

At 4385 mm, it is certainly not a large SUV and would be quite suited to daily driving around the ‘burbs’!

As such, it could some offer serious competition to city and outer suburban drivers considering the Kona electric but who don’t need the 64kWh battery, as well as potential buyers of the upcoming MG ZS EV, which is also a small crossover SUV.

Bryce Gaton is an expert on electric vehicles and contributor for The Driven and Renew Economy. He has been working in the EV sector for 10 years, and also is editor of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association newsletter.